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Protect freedom of speech in San Luis Obispo County

June 5, 2023

OPINION by SARA SEMMES

This coming Tuesday, June 6, the SLO County Board of Supervisors will vote on a resolution “ condemning racism, bigotry, bias and hate speech in our community.” At first glance this seems like a no brainer to pass? But there are some real considerations that warrant addressing.

1. The resolution states intent to “cultivate an inclusive community” in our county. We are not aided in this endeavor by false flagging the entire community of Templeton as racist. Leave Templeton out of it.

Allow the overpass incident to serve as a catalyst for our county to adopt a resolution condemning racial supremacy of any kind, without further falsely labeling the community of Templeton. They have already sustained enough damage as a result of the incident.

As Supervisor John Peschong stated in a previous Board of Supervisor meeting, the ‘white pride’ sign holders were not from Templeton or even from our county for that matter.

2. The proposed resolution uses heated terms such as extreme, hate, racial, bias, diversity, equity, inclusion, etc. But it does not define any of these terms. If these terms are to be used in the labeling of individuals or acts that are to be condemned by our county then it is only fair that the county clearly define these terms within the resolution.

3. The board would be better served to adopt a resolution condemning all forms of supremacy based on race, gender, religion, or political ideology. Why not simplify the resolution to focus on a more all-inclusive concept of supremacy? Racism, bigotry, bias and hate speech are acts resulting from supremacy — supremacy is the root.

4. Rightfully so, speech considered hateful is contentious. It is also protected by the First Amendment and The Supreme Court. The right to free speech is what distinguishes our nation from all others and allows our nation to progress. It enables us to object to wrongdoing by our governing body and to lobby for course corrections within our system of government.

Do we really want to so directly condemn the First Amendment or would it be more accurate to condemn all forms of supremacy?

Sara Semes is a resident of Atascadero and a home school mom.


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So, protecting freedom of speech means prohibiting anything you disagree with? Got it.


14

(Letter sent to former SLO county (delivered) paper’s editor: “We need Wyatt Earp” The recent gang gatherings on the overpass in Templeton have occurred in violation of the County’s current signage code and permit requirements[ Sections 23.04.300 through Section 23.04.314 (Sign Ordinance) of Title 23 of the San Luis Obispo County Code]. Gatherings of private citizens and private signs require permits in order to assure the rest of us that they will not interfere with our access or safety on the public roads and sidewalks. Local law enforcement and the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors need to stand up to this secretive group and hold them accountable for their terrorist activity. Anonymous masked men blocking the sidewalk on a busy intersection among four HWY 101 ramps is not an example of free speech protected by the First Amendment and is not permitted by the previously cited local ordinance. This gang dressed up like bandits, unfurled and waved a 5 ft+ white-sheet banner covered with racist language and (ADL-recognized) racist symbols posing a dizzying array of direct and indirect threats to anyone in their sights.


The Tribune reported that, during last month’s San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors meeting, in response to a community member’s concern about this No.County incident, Supervisor Peschong, suggested that we might need to curtail the free speech rights of all SLO County residents in order to control this menace.. As a disabled Army veteran that sacrificed to protect our rights- I respectfully request that the Board of Supervisors and members of our law enforcement find the resolve to give this gang the ‘boot’ with rules already on the books. Their actions are terrorism because the ultimate aim is to silence the diverse voices of our great system. Don’t surrender an inch. – 


10

Messkit What part of “Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person.” Is not clear to YOU?


8

BRAVO. And thank you for your service, Karen. Yes, I do believe that you are absolutely correct in pointing out that the cowards who made a public display of their ignorance, bigotry and paranoia were in direct violation of the existing laws and should have been responded to appropriately as such. Had that been the case, an end could have been put to this whole issue, on the spot. Those laws exist for a very good reason. Those who purport to be so “pro enforcement” should be backing you up here.


Concealing one’s identity and making threats in public are not in any way “free speech”. Nor are they legal. And this is not a “pride” issue. It is a domination issue. Not American. Period.


As someone who was raised in the South, I can speak directly to the harm done to a society in general that allows this kind of behavior. The cost to the whole society when groups of individuals are prevented from living their best and most productive lives is massive. Just look at how much federal aid flows into states in the South, that comes directly from more diverse and inclusive states like California. Do the math. We are literally paying the price for so called “white pride”.


I can remember an incident in SLO, way back in the early ’80’s. A group of Ku Klux Klan members did a demonstration, complete with swastikas, etc., and the sheriff responded by telling them that no one wanted to see that behavior in their town and to go home. Which they did. That is how it is done. Where was LE in the case of the Templeton affair? Standing around waiting for something worse to happen? Dispersing lawbreaking people with bad intent or incarcerating them is literally their job. No excuses. The perps were not asking for equal rights, they were concealing their identities (not so “proud” after all) and demanding supremacy. Not legal and not conducive to a peaceful community or the right to safety and “Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness” of all individual citizens. It is our duty as citizens to stand up for the actual principles that this country aspires to.


Again, Karen, thank you for your service.


4

Nothing is more exclusive than government forcing a community to be inclusive….


20

I do hope you are not suggesting that those masked thugs, demanding supremacy, are a representation of the sentiments of the “community”. Word seems to be that they are not even residents of Templeton.


10

The “community” resides within the border of the USA. The framers of the Constitution were quite clear about freedom of expressions.


-4

How about we’re all equal in the Creator’s eyes and quit looking for things to be offended by? Why is it ok for some groups to be “proud” and others not?


37

Does wearing a mask and stating they deserve supremacy actually suggest “pride” to you?


-2

This group’s “pride” is actually thinly veiled hate and bigotry towards other groups.


-3

Why are people’s opinions and beliefs so painful to others?

Why do some people act as though they have suffered physical or emotional abuse after seeing a sign or banner?

Is the message hateful, races, or proposing racial supremacy? Or is this in the eyes of the beholder.

The white pride people are trying to get attention and ruffle your feathers and it seems they’ve succeeded. They don’t deserve the time and concern they’ve caused.


8

When you are the target of masked thugs who publicly message that they are “proud” they are not you, perhaps it would be appropriate to respond as “the eyes of the beholder”. that it is harmless. I lived in the South for almost two decades and I can tell you, for a fact, that this kind of behavior is dangerous to society as whole, in every way and entirely un American.


-5

Why does the author considered “equity” a “heated term”?


-10

“Equity” is not “equality”.


0

This whole hate speech thing is bothersome to me, isn’t what is considered hate speech protected under freedom of speech?

If I can’t handle what some ignorant redneck, Nazi or BLM protester is spewing, shame on me for being so thin skinned!!!


30

Let me guess…..you’re white, right? If you were not, perhaps masked thugs threatening your welfare if they are not allowed to rule (especially in a society overstocked with firearms) might seem like more of a “thing”. Just sayin’…..


-17

We’ve seen this done before, it was called McCarthyism, and I thought we as a society had grown past that type of oppression!!!


1

Well, except Joe was right…


-1

snowflake-coded article


8

Templetuckey….


-36

Sounds like moms for liberty.


-27
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